CHAT Horsefeathers (was: Re: Sapir-WhorFreakiness)

Andreas Johansson wrote:

> That's not really parallel, tho; to be parallel, you'd have a situation
> where
> Americans do eat horse meat*...(schnip)
> * Given a few of the things I've found horse meat in, and the frequency
> with
> which I pay much attention to the exact contents of meat products, I would
> not
> be particularly surprised to learn that millions of Americans do consume
> horse
> meat without being aware of it.
>
Quite likely. But since we don't routinely eat horse, how would we recognize
the taste anyway??  I too read labels-- which are supposed to be truthful--
with some care, and have never noticed overt reference to "horse", nor in
disguise as cheval, Pferd, Equus caballus, "kuda-meat" etc. etc.

I can recall that during WW II, many "beef" products in the US were accused
of being horsemeat.  More than one person noticed that canned chile and/or
beef hash looked suspiciously like dog-food. Perhaps garlic, onion and hot
stuff covered a multitude of sins.

My sister used to cook up horsemeat for her dog, and I must say it looked
and smelled like a gigantic BM.  But she wasn't exactly giving it gourmet
treatment, just boiling it at top speed for way too long....

Back in the early 40s, there was a hamburger joint in our town that served
up the BEST sort-of sloppy-joe mixture (essentially chopped beef, onions and
flavorings).  Our father often treated us kids there.  At some point Mother
decided it was horsemeat, and we never went there again.  And the place
folded shortly thereafter.  My sister and I keep trying to duplicate the
recipe/taste but can't....perhaps we should try horsemeat :-))

And back in the 70s, something called "Best Steak House No. 2" opened in Ann
Arbor (there was no No. 1, nor Nos. 3...n).  We all went there mainly for
the cheap beer, but one evening decided to have dinner.  As we were chewing
away on some unidentifiable meat, I commented "I think I hear whinnying in
the kitchen".  Spoiled everyone's dinner, but OTOH we never ate there again.
The place flourished nonetheless; impoverished students will eat anything...
and the beer was cheap.

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